There is a general trend to provide computer processing and storage services over the internet. For example, most people have internet email accounts in which several gigabytes of space are available for storage of sent and received emails. There are also several popular public internet sites at which a user can store and view their photographs. In addition, common software applications such as word processors, which were once available only on a desktop or local area network, are now available for use over the internet. Moreover, conducting business transactions and e-commerce over the internet is now commonplace.
The computer processing and storage requirements that enable these programs to be used are typically provided by large groups of servers. Thousands of servers can be located in a single location, or linked together at multiple locations to provide desired storage and processing services. Providing the servers needed to offer digital storage or operate software on a website can be a business itself. As businesses and society becomes more dependent on remote digital storage and processing, there is a need to classify the performance of a particular digital storage or processing scheme.
For example, a large internet business can operate a website using a group of servers, typically called a server farm or server cluster, which is guaranteed to be functioning 99.99% of the time. In order to provide this level of operability, the servers typically have multiple levels of backup, and are usually distributed to two or more geographic locations. The service provider that operates the server farm typically charges extra for the high level of reliability to compensate for the extra hardware requirements that provide the needed dependability.
However, the metrics used to measure the reliability of a group of servers are not sufficient to enable an internet business to accurately gauge different types of systems. This limits the internet businesses' ability to purchase desired services in a cost effective manner. The lack of metrics also reduces a service provider's ability to offer competitive pricing of digital storage and processing services.
Reference will now be made to the exemplary embodiments illustrated, and specific language will be used herein to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the invention is thereby intended.